Arthur Crudup

American recording artist; Delta blues singer, songwriter and guitarist

Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup (August 24, 1905March 28, 1974) was a delta blues singer and guitarist. He wrote songs that Elvis Presley later sang.

Arthur Crudup
Also known asBig Boy
Born(1905-08-24)August 24, 1905
DiedMarch 28, 1974(1974-03-28) (aged 68)
GenresBlues
Years active1939–1974

Life and career

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Early life

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Crudup was born in Forest, Mississippi, and worked as a migrant worker until he and his family went back to Mississippi in 1926.

Early career

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Crudup sang gospel music and blues music. He played in a band called the Harmonizing Four in 1939. A record producer called Lester Melrose got him work with the Bluebird label.

Later career

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Crudup stopped recording in the 1950s. His last Chicago recording was in 1951. He also recorded in 1952–54 for a radio station called WGST in Atlanta.[1] In the 1960s he started recording again with Fire Records and Delmark Records.

Later life

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In the mid 60s, Crudup went back to working as a farmer in Virginia, where he lived with his family: his three sons and several of his own siblings.

He died because of heart disease and diabetes. He died in the Nassawadox hospital in Northampton County, Virginia, also on the Eastern Shore in 1974.

References

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  1. Groom, Bob, Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup, Complete Recorded Works Vol.3 (11 March 1949 to 15 January 1952) DOCD-5203, Document Records, 1993.

Other websites

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